Abia @30: "Emulate Our Founding Fathers" - Prof. Ibe Charges Abians

Speaking on the heels of the 30th anniversary of the creation of Abia state, Prof Ibe paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers for their spirit of unity and oneness of purpose which in his words," enabled the constitution of a strong, virile and formidable movement relying on the renowned Igbo ethos, Onyeaghala Nwanneya''. According to Prof Ibe, "Abians should look to our founding fathers and learn a thing or two about how to achieve success through the instrumentality of unity and togetherness. The agitation for the creation of Abia was made easy because of the kind of love that bonded such founding fathers as Dr Akanu Ibiam, Dr M.I Okpara, Eze Bernard Enweremadu, Dr Anagha Ezeikpe and Dr Onyike James Onyike together, which enabled them overcome parochial interests while focusing on achieving the general goal of birthing a new state with immense potentials".

Prof Ibe therefore enjoined Abians to emulate the dogged spirit of unity that characterized the activities of the founders of Abia, which subsequentlly led them to produce the charter of equity document as a way of ensuring equitable, fair and just rotation of political leadership among the stakeholding groups.

In his words, "As we commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the creation of Abia, it is obvious that the building blocks of unity which our fathers copied from the bible example of the builders of the tower of babel has so far seen the state through the first critical foundational generation of thirty years. Having thus handed down the legacy of unity founded on love to our generation, let us therefore commit ourselves to emulating the examples of our fathers and like good master builders work dispassionately to ensure the emergence of a truly egalitarian state".

In conclusion, Prof Ibe congratulated Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for "scholarly shepherding Abia triumphantly into her thirtieth anniversary in peace" and pledged to continue to promote such private sector driven interventions that would lead to attainment of societal goals. While felicitating Abians in general, he used the opportunity of the anniversary to announce the commencement of application for the annual Prof Gregory Ibe Scholarship Scheme and urged desirous Abia youths to grab the chance of joining many of their colleagues in obtaining free university education in Gregory University Uturu, as a means of bridging the skills gaps currently challenging the Abia labor market.

ProGIMA-Prof Gregory Ibe Media Associates